Journal Entry 1 by crazy-book-lady from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Saturday, April 19, 2003

History, romance, and rhyming couplets. A brilliant novel, set in India in the 1950's, which follows the interconnecting lives of characters from four families. At 1474 pages, at the time it was published, it was the longest novel originally written in English (it probably still is). Even so, when I read it nine years ago, I carried it with me everywhere, just in case I had a couple of minutes to dip into it during the day. One of the wonderful things about the novel is that it does not contain a glossary of Indian terms - the reader is credited with the ability to figure out unfamiliar terms from their contexts. This novel made me want to learn more about India, and instilled a fascination with the country, and its people, which has stayed with me to the present day. I can't part with my original copy, but found this one in a local used book store. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 2 by crazy-book-lady from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Mailed today to PrairieFirefly in Ottawa. 

Journal Entry 3 by PrairieFirefly from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Sunday, October 19, 2003

I recieved this wonderful book in the mail a couple of weeks ago and am quite engrossed in it. It is the first book I picked up after moving into a lovely cozy new apartment and it is an absolute joy. I look forward to the pages ahead.... 

Journal Entry 4 by PrairieFirefly from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Friday, November 14, 2003

I absolutely adored this book. Seth's writing was vivid and entertaining - his characters were captivating, endearing, diverse. Initially I appreciated Lata's story the most (and Mrs. Rupa Mehra was so entertaining) but by the end of it, I had come to feel attached to all of the characters and to enjoy all of their stories.

I feel satisfied having finished it - and a little sad that it is ended (truly the sign of a good book). Thank you so much for sharing this book with me.

BOOKRING closed:
Reading order:
Readinator - Australia
Jamieh2003 - USA
Jamesmum - USA
Vicki9170 - USA
Zarylia - Poland (USA in the summer)
Stardust - Canada
Symphonnica - Canada
Prairiefirefly - Canada

Sent on its way to Readinator on January 28, 2004. 

Journal Entry 5 by Readinator from Woodend, Victoria Australia on Friday, March 26, 2004

Found the book in the post when I got home this this evening and I'm nearly 50 pages in already! I will read and pass on to JamieH2003.
 

Journal Entry 6 by Readinator from Woodend, Victoria Australia on Saturday, April 10, 2004

I've finished A Suitable Boy now, less than 2 weeks after receiving it! What an amazing read. It's going to be difficult for another book to top that one for me. I loved the characters and how deeply I was drawn into their lives. If I could, I'd rate the book '11' :]

Thanks Prairiefirefly for organising the bookring. What a treat!

Have contacted JamieH2003 to arrange the book's delivery to its next reader.

**Journal Updated** Sent to JamieH2003 yesterday (around 9pm US Central time, 15 April) by sea mail.  

Journal Entry 7 by jamieh2003 from Wiley Ford, West Virginia USA on Thursday, July 08, 2004

Yay! This book arrived today. Thanks so much for including me in this ring. I'll be reading and getting this moved on within the next few days. 

Journal Entry 8 by jamieh2003 from Wiley Ford, West Virginia USA on Tuesday, July 13, 2004

An elegantly written tale of four interconnected familes in post-colonial India. What a book! I love the little poem in the beginning about how puchasing the book may strain your purse and wrists LOL That was true on the wrist part:) I found I had to set it down due to the sheer weight of the volume but I hated to stop reading! What a cast of characters and what a story of all the changes taking place and the class system in that era. I'll be getting this off to jamesmum as soon as I get her addy. 

Journal Entry 9 by jamieh2003 at N/A in N/A, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, July 16, 2004

Journal Entry 10 by jamesmum from Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Sunday, August 01, 2004

Whew - this is a BIG book! I plan to dig into it tomorrow, and will do my best to complete it in a timely fashion.

8/5/04 UPDATE: Okay, I'm 200+ pages into it, and am enjoying it quite a lot. Will update as I make further progress.

8/8/04: I have PMed the next person on the list, but have not received a response. S/he hasn't been active on any of the boards for a couple months, either. Have PMd PrairieFirely and asked what I should do next.

8/13/04: Finished! Despite its intimidating size, this was not a difficult book to read - the author did a nice job of tying the multiple story lines together, although I will confess to the occasional glimpse at the family trees provided at the front of the book. The novel is set in India in the early 1950s, which was a very significant time in Indian history, and I enjoyed learning more about day-to-day life in those early post-British years. The exploration of Hindu-Muslim animosity was also interesting, and has helped me make a bit more sense of the current problems between India and Pakistan.

Off to the next reader on Monday - enjoy! And thank you, PrairieFireFly, for sharing this book.

Note: The book is beginning to suffer a bit from all its travels - I've repaired it as best I can, but it is in a fragile state. I guess 1400-page novels aren't particularly well-suited to paperback binding.

UPDATE 9/07/04: Uh oh - I sent this book out several weeks ago, but it hasn't been journalled by the receipient yet. Keep your fingers crossed.... 

Journal Entry 11 by vicki9170 from Saint Petersburg, Florida USA on Friday, September 24, 2004

sorry it took so long but yes i did receive the book!! :) 

Journal Entry 12 by jamesmum from Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Saturday, October 15, 2005

TO FUTURE RING PARTICIPANTS: It seems that this book is stuck with the current reader, who has had it for over a year. I have found another copy of the book, which is presently with Zarylia. Here is the link